Thank you for the kind words about the Fox website and my father, Robert M. Apple. He truly loved the Fox, worked hard to save it, and eventually agonized over its loss – I don’t think he ever got over it.
That said, he also loved theatre organs – and when he discovered that the original pipe organ had been unceremoniously removed from his new assignment (in 1963, at the Oakland Paramount, as Managing Director), he first tried to find a way to get a new pipe organ; when that idea wouldn’t fly, the only thing he could come up with (somewhat apologetically, as I recall) was an electronic organ.
I think he was worried about the future of the Paramount, and all the other large houses that he had worked in since the Great Depression (the Oakland Paramount had been his first assignment about 1932, as doorman). He also sensed that awareness of the entertainment and architectural value of some of the large palaces was only slowly growing (through events he helped book, such as the George Wright and other organ concerts). He was hoping the Rodgers organ might do its part to preserve the Paramount. Luckily – for this and many other reasons – it has survived magnificently!
I wish he’d lived to see the Preservation Movement grow and take hold in future years (he died in 1965)– I’m just grateful for folks like the ones reading this blog, for keeping the preservation issue out there.
PS: Someone in the recent flurry of posts (what happened all of a sudden?) asked about which movies may have been booked at the Fox – I have posted all that info from Kauffman’s book in the “Playbill” section of the Fox website: http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/playbill.shtml
The only thing I left out were the weekly grosses (maybe sometime in the future?) I’m also considering posting some newspaper ads for some of the movies – my grandfather was on the Fox West Coast payroll as a “commercial artist” and did these ads between 1918 (for Paramount Publix), and 1966. He worked on the 8th or 9th floor in the rear of the Fox building (near the old screening room)… so famil attachment to the theatre runs deep (btw: if anyone is interested in some of the other theatres in San Francisco that pre-dated the Fox – such as the California on Market Street – I have some background information in the career/biography section of a web site devoted to my GRANDfather’s theatre career and artwork: View link )
PPS: I don’t know if Bill Swain is the co-owner of Swain and Cates, but I’ve emailed him to find out.
I have a copy of the Kaufman book, and have started posting the playlist for the Fox SF on the Fox San Francisco Website at http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/default.html under the “Playbill” button.
So far, I have 1929-1932 completed, but, since I do this in my spare time (!not), it may be slow going… I’ll see if I can get at least one year up each week or two.
I remember seeing the first Cinemascope picture, “The Robe,” at the Fox – hey, maybe I’ll plug in 1955 and newer years from time to time, until they’re all done!
My father - Robert Apple - was the last Managing Director of the Fox, and tried desperately to save it from destruction. At the 40th anniversary of its closure in February 2003, I decided it was time to pull together whatever photographs and other items I had, and to build a website to celebrate this most magnificent of movie palaces. Contact information can be found at the website.
In response to trainmaster’s post of Feb 22:
Thank you for the kind words about the Fox website and my father, Robert M. Apple. He truly loved the Fox, worked hard to save it, and eventually agonized over its loss – I don’t think he ever got over it.
That said, he also loved theatre organs – and when he discovered that the original pipe organ had been unceremoniously removed from his new assignment (in 1963, at the Oakland Paramount, as Managing Director), he first tried to find a way to get a new pipe organ; when that idea wouldn’t fly, the only thing he could come up with (somewhat apologetically, as I recall) was an electronic organ.
I think he was worried about the future of the Paramount, and all the other large houses that he had worked in since the Great Depression (the Oakland Paramount had been his first assignment about 1932, as doorman). He also sensed that awareness of the entertainment and architectural value of some of the large palaces was only slowly growing (through events he helped book, such as the George Wright and other organ concerts). He was hoping the Rodgers organ might do its part to preserve the Paramount. Luckily – for this and many other reasons – it has survived magnificently!
I wish he’d lived to see the Preservation Movement grow and take hold in future years (he died in 1965)– I’m just grateful for folks like the ones reading this blog, for keeping the preservation issue out there.
PS: Someone in the recent flurry of posts (what happened all of a sudden?) asked about which movies may have been booked at the Fox – I have posted all that info from Kauffman’s book in the “Playbill” section of the Fox website: http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/playbill.shtml
The only thing I left out were the weekly grosses (maybe sometime in the future?) I’m also considering posting some newspaper ads for some of the movies – my grandfather was on the Fox West Coast payroll as a “commercial artist” and did these ads between 1918 (for Paramount Publix), and 1966. He worked on the 8th or 9th floor in the rear of the Fox building (near the old screening room)… so famil attachment to the theatre runs deep (btw: if anyone is interested in some of the other theatres in San Francisco that pre-dated the Fox – such as the California on Market Street – I have some background information in the career/biography section of a web site devoted to my GRANDfather’s theatre career and artwork:
View link )
PPS: I don’t know if Bill Swain is the co-owner of Swain and Cates, but I’ve emailed him to find out.
Hope this helps the discussion!
Bill/Bruce:
I have a copy of the Kaufman book, and have started posting the playlist for the Fox SF on the Fox San Francisco Website at http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/default.html under the “Playbill” button.
So far, I have 1929-1932 completed, but, since I do this in my spare time (!not), it may be slow going… I’ll see if I can get at least one year up each week or two.
I remember seeing the first Cinemascope picture, “The Robe,” at the Fox – hey, maybe I’ll plug in 1955 and newer years from time to time, until they’re all done!
Dick
Anyone wishing to share reminiscences or other information about the Fox San Francisco is invited to visit the Fox San Francisco website at http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/default.shtml.
My father - Robert Apple - was the last Managing Director of the Fox, and tried desperately to save it from destruction. At the 40th anniversary of its closure in February 2003, I decided it was time to pull together whatever photographs and other items I had, and to build a website to celebrate this most magnificent of movie palaces. Contact information can be found at the website.